bless all nations with dignity and success ...

Recently H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent an open letter to the American people.

His letter can be viewed here:
http://www.nysun.com/article/44340

As I read Dr. Ahmadinejad's letter I made notes of my thoughts:

The opening page of Dr. Ahmadinejad's letter is either straight from the heart, or a bald faced lie.

How do I decide ?

If I buy into to the current campaign of hate spewed by the infamous American "media outlets" I would quickly choose the latter, but since I do not ... deciding is not easy for me.

Such a decision has to be based in part on Iranians I have known throughout my life - people I could talk with easily as with anyone else, whether 50 years ago, or much more recently.

Anyone who wants me to hate Iran and all its people quickly points to the line reminding that " ... aggressions by the Zionists are making life more and more difficult for the rightful owners of the land of Palestine"

Anyone who minimizes suffering of Palestinians, even without urging me to hate another group, does not have my sympathy, and I relate to such individuals with caution - their motives too convoluted for me, because anyone who cannot understand that truly, for Palestinians, "No day goes by without a new crime" has not enough compassion for anyone as I can see.

I personally do not understand what hold Zionists have over the government, my government, which is supposedly elected by the American People - which it obviously has not been for some time.

I do not understand how my government has been so hijacked by another government, blackmailed into submission by a group who holds dual citizenship even as some of its members serve in the very government, my government, which is an activity they cannot perform *in good faith* due to the very conflict of interest abiding in their dual citizenship - yet through some diabolical religious mafia coercion, many Americans seem to believe they are somehow doing God's will by supporting such a traitorous lot - I do not understand.

Nor do I understand why a friend who is a Zionist has not yet, in a few months time, found time to enlighten me so as to soften my obvious bias against Zionism, which I continue to regard as a cancer in this world.

So ? I should read Dr. Ahmadinejad's comments as those of an enemy ?

Oy vey !

How can I not view the oil pipelines which continue to be constructed THROUGH Iraq, see where they go, and not understand that the occupation of Iraq is not about oil, not about democracy or liberation of Iraqis, but about MONEY and liberation of resources and land FROM Iraqis ?

How can I not, as a human being, understand that Iraqis, and Iranians too, will be FREE - regardless of U.S. or Zionist or any other intimidation to SUBMIT to outside control: They fight occupation just the same as would I had my home been invaded.

No - as an American I do NOT "consent to the billions of dollars of annual expenditure from your treasury for this military" debacle which makes monsters of my neighbours who have been sent to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan, who I watch go over the edge from the utter frustration of attempting to do the impossible and then taking out their frustrations on innocent people.

No - as an American I do NOT consent to my government's agencies *disappearing* other human beings indefinitely - in secret, without warning or due process - NO ! NOT IN MY NAME ! ... so that I must first apologize for the actions of my government to anyone who is not American before I can rightfully continue to speak about anything else; otherwise, I must hold silence in shame.

My government which could have been best hope for humanity, where "Legitimacy and influence reside in sound logic, quest for justice and compassion and empathy for all humanity" ... is reduced to a tragicomic caricature increasingly hated by everyone so that the only hope for freedom remaining is the indomitable human spirit itself.

... but the U.S. "administration" will neither hear nor heed anything other than its own greed.


As I read Dr. Ahmadinejad's words today I sense truth spoken respectfully, yet I keep looking for the hook - the trap set by a foe.

Nothing in the man's demeanor for which I suspect a trap - only that so many voices around me echo fear of his intentions, so I look for the hook as Ahmadinejad says:

"The global position of the United States is in all probability weakened because the administration has continued to resort to force, to conceal the truth, and to mislead the American people about its policies and practices."

"in all probability" ??? The man is too kind, much too kind ... or hiding something.

The global position of the United States is absolutely and undeniably weakened - and done so by design.

There are simply too many dimensions to the current global conflict for most people to even begin to grasp the enourmity of it.

The "global position" of the United States, which could have remained strong, is ultimately best defeated and destroyed by the very gross *misapplication* of it that we are witnessing today.

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and all the "extraordinary renditions" criminal minds can create are nothing more than a cover for the absolute *rendering* of all mankind.

Dr. Ahmadinejad perhaps shows a lack of understanding if he really thinks "the winners of the recent elections" will bring any significant change to the affairs of this world - perhaps even he does not understand how deeply the cancer has invaded, and in that way perhaps both he and I are such simple-minded fools that we are already relegated to the historical scrap heap.

Oddly, somehow I do maintain some hope that "the American people, will play an instrumental role in the establishment of justice and spirituality throughout the world" ... but with every day that passes, such hope is harder for me to feel.


The "promises" will be fulfilled - with us or without us - that is certain, and anyone who would tell me that Dr. Ahmadinejad's urging us to "heed the Divine Word of the Holy Qur'an" is a "call to Islam" is someone who does not yet understand that universal laws are spoken through religion and texts, but those same laws prevail regardless the existence of any religion.

I too "pray to the Almighty to bless the Iranian and American nations and indeed all nations of the world with dignity and success."

.

what is reasonably considered 'terrorism' ...

from Project for the Old American Century blog
_

November 29, 2006

There Must Be Limits On What Is Considered Terrorism
Filed under: civil liberties � Rowan Wolf @ 10:51 am

By: Rowan Wolf of Uncommon Thought Journal

" The government is stretching the legal definition of terrorism way too far. First it was extended with the U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act. Then a number of states jumped on board with ecoterrorism legislation. Now the we have the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (S. 1926.IS, S. 3880.IS, and H.R. 4239.IH) introduced by Inoffe in the Senate (4 cosponsors) and Petri of Wisconsin in the House (44 cosponsors) which Bush signed into law on Monday (11/27/06).

An analysis of the bill at Philadelphia's Indy Media states that the legislation covers a wide range of activities from impeding business to property damage to releasing animals. We can probably rest assured that it will be extended to those who support these "terrorists."

The issues at play with both ecoterrorism and with the AETA is to protect commercial interests and research facilities. The "terrorism" under AETA includes "blockades" and "trespassing." Those pushing for this legislation have primarily been biotechnology interests, corporate agricultural, and pharmaceutical companies. The concerns are primarily with interruption of their business activities.

On "Black" Friday in downtown Portland, demonstrators picketed stores selling furs. Would AETA stretch so far as to cover these types of activities? Certainly it will extend to some of the activities of groups such as Greenpeace who "interfere" with whaling operations. Or the some of the political strategies of groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Of course, those who economically support groups such as Greenpeace and PETA are by extension likely to be considered material supporters of terrorism under such sweeping legislation.

All of this is stretching "terrorism" into areas that it should never have gone. The liberal use of this term extends extra-legal surveillance and detention to a broader and broader percentage of the population. It also is clearly a slippery slope. If terrorism extends to primarily interference with economic activity, then almost anything falls into that category. Boycotting a business because of its labor practices, marching in a demonstration that temporarily restricts business access, writing a letter to the editor that speaks poorly of a business or industry, all of these can interfere with "economic activity."

Destruction of property and trespassing are already against the law. Why in the world is it necessary to make those offenses "terrorist" activities? There is absolutely no reason to do so unless one wants to extend the aggressive anti-terrorism legislation more broadly. In other words, to use the law to squash dissent and dialog.

The ongoing expansion of the legal bounds of "terrorism" should give all of us pause. Personally, it scares the hell out of me. It is a sneaky way of subverting our constitutional and civil liberties. It also raises the anti significantly for how much we are willing to risk in order to raise our voice in this country. It is one thing to participate in an activity which deliberately impedes a business doing business - a picket for example - realizing that one might get arrested for trespassing. It is quite another if the consequences of that are indefinite detention without access to counsel or courts. Also, supporting a group like Greenpeace is both a political and social statement. Being indefinitely detained without counsel or courts for that support is an effective way to quash such groups.

All of this raises even more questions about the detention facilities for which Halliburton has a $385 million contract. "

See also:
Megan Tady, 11/15/06, News Standard, House Passes "Terrorism" Act Against Animal Activists
- http://newstandardnews.net/content/?action=show_item&itemid=3887&x=x

Check the Thomas legislative guide for Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (S. 1926.IS, S. 3880.IS, and H.R. 4239.IH)

- http://poac.wordpress.com/2006/11/29/there-must-be-limits-on-what-is-considered-terrorism/

conservative is just a word with too many meanings ...

Thus, the word "conservatism" has no meaning.

Among all the people I know, those who I consider truly conservative I can count on the fingers of one hand.

btw both my hands have five fingers.


Even among my closest friends, those who actively refer to themselves as "conservative" I do not think understand what the word means.

Those who maintain silence about "politics" I find closest to being what I can consider conservative.


Webster hits it on the head with "preservative: having the power of preserving"
... after which Webster seems to blather in regard to "defining" the word "conservative"

- "of or relating to a philosophy of conservatism" says nothing considering what follows
- "of or constituting a political party professing the principles of conservatism" is meaningless in 2006 context
- even "of or constituting a party of the United Kingdom advocating support of established institutions"
... misses the mark without considering geography
- "tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions"
... would seem to give hope unless one realizes what is contained in the word "existing"
- a more 'traditional' definition "marked by moderation or caution"
... goes to the heart of those who are silent being "closest" to conservative
- "marked by or relating to traditional norms of taste, elegance, style, or manners" is not cool
- and last "of, relating to, or practicing Conservative Judaism"
... nor even do so-called "Christian conservatives" truly "conserve" their religion

"having the power of preserving"

"We hold these truths to be self-evident ..." and "in order to form a more perfect union" are phrases which do not seem important to anyone I know these days, which leaves me feeling a bit lonely now and again.

For those of you who really do not know (I am aware there are plenty of you), the first of those phrases is from the Declaration of Independence; in context:

" We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

The second phrase is from the Constitution of the United States of America:

"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
_

Is it unfair for me to suppose that Democrats in general (so-called Democratic Party in the U.S.) are no different; ie. have basically the same agenda as Republicans ?

There is much to like and love about Canada as I recall from my visits up there, but I see it no less commercially developed now than most any U.S. community and the socialist form of government never quite captured my fancy.

Mexico is vibrant and colorful with its "in-your-face" history I could climb on and *feel* while confronted at every turn with poverty of those wholly dispossessed of their birthright - a lawless land for those who have not enough money to purchase their "security"

So I chose decades ago to remain in the country my ancestors helped found, thinking daft anyone who suggested to me the U.S. has a socialist government even though I was aware of that goal.

I remained a citizen of the country in which I was born even as it was being subdivided and stripped - clear to me that no one "local" benefitted from the profits ... and where my "security" increasingly depends on how much I can afford.

My choice was to stay among those who use "newspeak" and words given them by their parents - none of which are part of my vocabulary - people who seemed to have an innate sense of "us" with which somehow I was never able to connect, people who divide themselves from each other as they speak ...

... people who consciously and actively divide themselves from the God they profess to "worship" and who divided themselves from their own history, and of the rich history that preceded their own - by bulldozing it flat, all of it, so there is nothing left to climb on.
_

The word "conservative" is a rip-off in almost every sense in which I hear it used now ... and what IS a "new conservative" ??
- except a bold lie !

"existing views, conditions, or institutions" are daily defended by "conservatives" who seem to have not even the flimsiest clue how different those "existing views, conditions, or institutions" are from what was originally intended for the American People, and for all people everywhere if they chose to follow it ... so there is no more "beacon" of Liberty for anyone anywhere.

Sorry, folks - the "beacon" has been sold at auction.

Check the schedule and see it at your local museum.
_

So many people I know seem to spend every waking hour engaged in a raging obsession with " ... the "------"'s (insert "conservative, liberal, Democrat, Republican, communist, capitalist, gay, homophobe, any sort of "activist" or the word hippie or fogey or feminist or chauvinist - how hilarious that almost ANY word will work there)

... are going to RUIN the country.
Seems as if "------"'s are going to do whatever it is the speaker most fears.

EVERYONE I know has some favourite "other" - someone to bark about.

Rarely these days do I meet anyone who can bite.

Why should I not assume that any Democrat or liberal or "progressive" is any different than any Republican or "conservative" or Fundamentalist ?

Since the 2006 elections in which Democrats supposedly "took control" of the House and Senate I do not see or hear any outcry against the physical division of the physical "United States" - the physical abandonment of the nation to a larger "union" which is referred to as NAU (is it intended to sound like "now" ?) - the North American Union.

Is there someone who supposes that the differences in "style" of government among Canada, Mexico, and the United States are somehow going to leave American government unchanged ?

Does anyone even care ?

What do the toothless people around me really want ?

Even though I was born in the United States of America, I feel as if I could have been born on Mars and only recently arrived here, like the ...

"Stranger in a Strange Land"

Know what I mean ?

.

UCLA student tasered in UCLA library

Are you paying for your child's college education ?

I am absolutely outraged about what happened at UCLA yesterday, and if you are not ...

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/11/16/ucla-student-tasered-in-library

"UCPD officers shot a student several times with a Taser inside the Powell Library CLICC computer lab late Tuesday night before taking him into custody. At around 11:30 p.m., CSOs asked a male student using a computer in the back of the room to leave when he was unable to produce a BruinCard during a random check. The student did not exit the building immediately.

Video shot from a student's camera phone captured the student yelling, "Here's your Patriot Act, here's your f&*$ing abuse of power," while he struggled with the officers.

"It was the most disgusting and vile act I had ever seen in my life," said David Remesnitsky, a 2006 UCLA alumnus who witnessed the incident. "

Other students showed remarkable restraint IMO - there could easily have been a full-scale riot in face of this abuse of power.

Whoever are the thugs responsible for this travesty, they ought be fired immediately, removed and banned permanently from EVER holding a similar position anywhere in the United States of America.

Anyone who is trained to use a laser has to be a moron to demand someone on whom they have already used that force "stand up" on their own ...

... but we are not talking about a so-called "terrorist" or "enemy combatant" and I do not give a good golly damn if the kid forgot his card - HE IS A STUDENT !

Either you and I are going to stand up together and raise our voices against the sort of thing that happened at UCLA or we are going to be locked up sooner or later anyway.

If you live in California, PLEASE write to your state education system and demand this sort of thing NEVER NEVER NEVER happen again !